41 weeks - No Baby in Sight
There is something special about the moment we find out that we are expecting. So many emotions run through our body and our mind immediately starts racing. Is our baby healthy? Boy or Girl, or both? Who will they look like? When will they be born?
As soon as we hear the estimated due date there is a timeline. We count down the weeks until our little ones are in our arms. Week by week, we are getting closer to the big day. And we get excited. And nervous. A little anxious. And eventually the day comes when we are finally 40 weeks. And it passes. Still no baby in sight.
We wake up and are hoping for contractions. We go to sleep and are laying in our beds, quietly, still on the look-out for the faintest sign that labor is starting. There may be some Braxton Hicks that tease us a little, but as they slowly ebb away, we are still pregnant.
Now what do we do? 41 weeks and no baby in sight. It feels like the clock is ticking, our medical providers are starting to mention induction and we have tried it all. We ate the spiciest food on the menu of our favorite Thai restaurant. We went on many long, brisk walks, up and down the hills in our community. We drank the teas, and our partners are overwhelmed by our suddenly rising sexual energy. Our little one is not impressed, our cervix barely dilated and we are beginning to get frustrated.
There is a time, when most women are just over being pregnant. I feel that this is nature’s way of getting us ready for our birthing journey. After all, we have to get to a point that we are getting excited by the onset of our contractions - let’s face it, who would have ever thought that period-like cramping could be the cause for Champaign corks flying?
I want to acknowledge that this is a trialing time for any expecting family. There is so much pressure on the birthing person! The countless questions from friends and family: When will baby finally be here? Oh, are you still pregnant? And then the advice that follows: You should eat more spicy food, eat pineapple, eat labor cake, have more sex, drink more tea, and overall walk more. It is exhausting.
So, what should we do when we are 41 weeks pregnant and our baby seems a little too comfortable? My number one advice to all of my clients is to try and relax. I know, it is not exactly easy to relax when we are under pressure, our bodies are aching, and our medical provider has pretty much given us an ultimatum already. I get it. Here is my trick! Shut the world out for a day or two. Don’t answer the phone, don’t connect to social media and please do not Google anything. Take a staycation. Get your hair done, get a manicure and pedicure, take a long, warm bath, diffuse some lavender essential oil and go for a nice prenatal massage. Cuddle up with your partner as often as you can, kisses, hugs, and take-out dinners. Celebrate your babymoon!
If you like, you can do some Spinning Babies stretches (www.spinningbabies.com). If you have access to a pool, go for a nice, long swim. When you do walk, try to walk on a bias with one foot elevated on a sidewalk and the other foot on the street. You can walk stairs, but try walking them sideways. Please remember that your due date was merely an estimate which is based on the assumption that you ovulate on a certain day of your 28 day cycle. Your body may have done things a little differently and that is ok!
Lastly, I want to address the phenomenon of the labor cake. Labor cake is a really good chocolate cake. We all love chocolate and it is soo good to calm our nerves. Labor cake may or may not start your labor, but it definitely hits the spot. So, if you get anything out of this blog, maybe it is the amazing recipe I am about to share with you. The rest will fall into place and your baby will come when they are ready.
“Labor Cake” (AKA a really good chocolate cake)
1 box Devil’s Food Cake mix
1 small package chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 vegetable oil
1 12-ounce package mini chocolate chips
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
To make mine extra chocolaty, you can top it with this fudge icing:
Fudge Icing
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Heat all ingredients except vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until mixture is melted and beginning to thicken. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Cake recipe source: www.justmommies.com